Michael Altman
Michael Altman is credited as the founder of Unitology. Biography Little is known about Michael Altman's early life; at some point he became an anthropologist or geophysicist according to varying accounts. Government Researcher Altman was included in a secret research project focused on deciphering the Black Marker. According to one account, Altman was "a geophysicist who discovered a mysterious signal emitting from deep within the Chicxulub crater. He and his girlfriend Ada lead an excavation team to the underwater crater, determined to find the source of the baffling message. But what they discover possessed a mysterious power. Close proximity to the stone caused strange occurrences: visions of the dead, vivid dreams, and violent murders. When Michael secretly obtains a small piece of the marker, he brings these visions to the world above. One message from the Marker was clear: Prove yourself worthy of eternal life, or the slate will be wiped clean on Earth."http://www.gamecouch.com/2010/05/summer-reading/ Unitology Altman, following his departure from the research project, revealed his findings to the world. He founded the religion when he discovered the existence of the Black Marker, an alien artifact discovered by the Earth government and hidden in order to discourage belief in alien life. Although Altman was credited with the founding of Unitology, he was not the religion's actual founder and was; in fact; opposed to it. Because of his ability to be in close proximity to the Marker without the adverse side affects of his colleagues, those influenced by the marker began to hail him as an unwilling prophet. His exposure of the Marker's existance was in actuality an attempt to go public with the belief that the government was planning on utilizing the artifact as a dangerous and deadly weapon. Dead Space Martyr Martyrdom and Legacy He was thought to be killed by the planetary government after spreading the word of the Black Marker and of Unitology while working on the research team studying it, an act that caused great social upheaval due to the martyrdom effect. Since then, Unitologists have worshiped him as a martyr figure and interpreted the black marker to be a sign from god. In Dead Space Martyr, it is revealed that the martydom of Michael Altman was in fact a government farce created to cover up the true dangerous nature of the Black Marker. Because Altman was hailed as a prophet of Unitology and because of his public outcry about the marker; the government was able to successfully have him killed - and; ironically; have him become the name associated most commonly with the fanatacism he had tried to destroy. He is killed intentionally by a Necromorph manufactured from several of his colleagues. Trivia *The Hebrew meaning of the name Michael is "Who is like God?"Michael - Wikipedia *The lyrics of the M*A*S*H song "Suicide Is Painless" were written by none other than a Mike Altman. The refrain is most interesting: :'Cause suicide is painless, :It brings on many changes, :And I can take or leave it if I please *Michael Altman's backstory will be further fleshed out in Dead Space: Martyrhttp://kotaku.com/5516189/another-dead-space-prequel-only-this-one-you-read *There is a chance that the suicide Michael Altman commited, and his madness upon the discovery of the Black Marker were actually caused by it. The effects of the Marker are already well known to lead to suicide. But he also founded Unitology, because of his fanaticism for the Marker, nothing but another effect. It is unknown if Altman actually became a necromorph. That explains another feature in the game, where the words "Don't believe the lies" are seen several times, a possible refference to the Unitology, considered a lie by some. Gallery Mickey_Alty.jpg|A Statue of Michael Altman in the Church of Unitology Mickey_Alty2.jpg|And another one. Sources Category:Characters Category:Backstory Category:Characters Category:Backstory Category:Deceased